Life hacks, repurposed items, upcycling, etc

Discussion in 'The Chatterbox' started by gorgo2, Oct 7, 2018.

  1. gorgo2

    gorgo2 geezerhood

    Lots of time wasting videos out there on this topic. Some are pointless or useless but some are interesting and even ingenious.

    A few days ago I looked up from my desk as somebody was watching one at lunch. It showed an old cassette case turned inside out and used to hold a large smartphone upright. Figured I had to try that. Yesterday it took me three resale shops to find somebody with any old cassettes left. Sure enough, it works like a charm. Pic not mine but you get the idea. My Samsung in its protective case is bigger than this iPhone but still fits, and with the speaker on the bottom it deflects the sound upwards and sounds better than laying flat.

    [​IMG]

    What other tricks like this have you found to be handy?
     
    Last edited: Oct 7, 2018
  2. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    Using toilet paper or paper towel tubes to use as a plug organizer. Baking soda paste to fix CDs and DVDs. Pill bottles for blade disposal. Box fan and a filter for an air purifier. Tons of stuff.
     
  3. gorgo2

    gorgo2 geezerhood

    I can see that working. Open them up along the spiral seam?

    That doesn't just fog it up worse with more scratches?

    THAT I have to try!
     
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  4. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    Easy peasy. Measure the box fan, get an air filter that is close to it's size. Turn fan on, the suction will grab the filter. All done.
     
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  5. brit

    brit in a box

    very cool, i have a dusty house,will try that,thank you..
     
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  6. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    I have four cats. Definitely helps with the hair issue and since I smoke, definitely helps. Much cheaper than buying a fancy air purifier.
     
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  7. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    Another good trick. Alwaya have trouble with garbage bags not settling into the can? Drill two small holes into each side of the bottom. Once you throw something into the can, the pressure will force the air inside the can out and the bag will settle in better.
     
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  8. brit

    brit in a box

    i use old metal cigarette tins for razor blades, one tin hols 100 blades in their 5 blade tucks... 20181007_090851.jpg
     
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  9. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    Keep 'em coming! Upcycling - using something for other than it's intended purpose when it's done performing it's first use? Winning!
     
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  10. gorgo2

    gorgo2 geezerhood

    Upcycling! I like that.
     
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  11. richgem

    richgem suffering from chronic clicker hand cramps

    Cleverness!
    (now... what's a cassette? :rofl:)
     
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  12. Sara-s

    Sara-s This Pun for Hire

    1) Altoids Arctic tins are the perfect size for razor blade disposal, with no modification. (But for safety’s sake, we put a label on it & tape it shut, once full.)

    2) There are watering heads designed to fit on an empty soda bottle, to make it into a watering can for plants.
     
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  13. ordinaryshaver

    ordinaryshaver Well-Known Member

    Cupcake molds used inside a cup holder make great traps to prevent dirt, crumbs and the like from setteling in the cup holders.
     
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  14. Ursa

    Ursa Well-Known Member

    Thrift store shave goodies: A piggy bank can serve well as a blade disposal, and small sugar bowls with lids can make good homes for soap pucks.
     
  15. urrlord

    urrlord Well-Known Member

    I had thought about starting a thread like this for household hints so I guess here is one of mine.
    My wife is one of those people who when a bar of bath soap gets down to about a quarter of its original size she will place it on the shower rack and open a new bar.Every few months i will collect them for reuse.

    A: I have chipped up some of her more moisturing soaps or glycerin based soaps and mixed with Williams or some other shave soap ,cover with almost boiling water and stir up and let set a few days.Franken soap!Williams and Pears glycerin is a good combo that has a light spicy note..Williams and Yardley Rose was also very nice.The green Palmolive soap is very slick (one of the very few soaps that has almost made me slip in the shower) and adds good glide to a subpar shave soap.

    B: Chip up or use a cheese grater and add the soap to a pot of boiling water(1-2 gallons) and stir until it all dissolves.Remove from heat and stir in a 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup borax.Let cool while stirring occasionally.You will end up with a gel or semi gel that can be used as a laundry detergent or booster.If you don't like the scent you can always add some shampoo from the dollar store to add scent and additional grease removing power.You will have to adjust the amount you use based on experience,usually a 1/4-1/2 cup.But a stock pot of this will last a long time.

    p.s.
    in the hispanic section of grocery stores there are usually large bars of laundry soap for less than a dollar ,these can receive the same treatment.
    in the carribean section you can find a 3 pack of standard size soap bars for laundry called Blue Power,same for these.1 bar for 2 gallons of water.
     
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  16. markjnewcomb

    markjnewcomb Well-Known Member

    Empty Altoids tins are useful for about 100 different things. A quick count gives me using 14.
     
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  17. Sara-s

    Sara-s This Pun for Hire

    Me too; that was just one example. I store small items, such as paper clips & safety pins in them. I sometimes decorate them and use them as presentation boxes for gift cards.
     
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  18. Ursa

    Ursa Well-Known Member

    My parents take too-small-to-use remnants of bath soap bars and place them in the drawers of the their linen closet that hold bath towels. Their towels always smell nice and fresh.
     
  19. Ursa

    Ursa Well-Known Member

    My sister is also fond of using of using them for gift cards.

    Me? I use an Altoids tin to hold mechanical pencil refill leads and replacement erasers.

    Back in the day, Sucrets sore throat lozenges tins did the same duty. Some tyre/inner tube patch kits came in a similar handy tin.
     
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  20. Sara-s

    Sara-s This Pun for Hire

    Got some old t-shirts you don't wear anymore? They can be turned into grocery-store shopping bags. If you don't sew, no problem. Here's a video on how to make one without sewing;
     
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